Month: July 2025

Combat sports, from boxing and MMA to Muay Thai and judo, have captured the imaginations of fans worldwide with their fast-paced action, intense physicality, and strategic depth. However, these exciting and dynamic sports are more than just entertainment—they are also powerful tools for wellbeing. Incorporating combat sports into one’s life can provide discipline, mental resilience, self-defense skills, community bonds, and stress relief.

The rigors of combat sport training require athletes to push themselves, often beyond their limits. They must endure grueling workouts while developing and perfecting their fighting abilities in an environment that is highly regulated and prioritizes safety. Moreover, the skills learned in the ring or cage can translate to real-world situations and empower individuals to take control of their own lives.

While many people engage in combat sports to improve their health, others are drawn to the sport because of its cultural significance. The stories of legendary fighters like Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee, and Conor McGregor inspire countless individuals to pursue their own path in the world of combat sports.

Regardless of the reason for participating, there are many benefits associated with combat sports participation—including improved cardiovascular and respiratory systems, muscular endurance, balance, flexibility, and core strength. Additionally, learning the art of a combat sport can improve focus and concentration. In addition to its health benefits, incorporating combat sports into one’s daily routine can teach patience and perseverance—which can be beneficial both on and off the mat or ring.

Formula 1 standings are the real-time indicator of each team’s progress throughout the season. Each race counts towards the final rankings, reflecting the full range of factors that define success in F1. Drivers earn points for themselves and their teams, while constructors’ tally rewards the collective efforts of engineers and strategists in an intense and strategic sport where even the smallest mistake can have a huge impact.

The system has evolved over the years, balancing driving excellence with competitiveness and fairness for smaller constructors – but the core concept remains the same. A drivers’ and teams’ overall tally is calculated from their results in all races and Sprint events, with the winner of each earning 25 points, second place getting 18 and third receiving 18. The final ranking then takes into account any points scored for setting the fastest lap. Drivers outside of the top ten receive no points.

The tally is then added up at the end of the year, with the driver and team that accumulates the most points crowned champions. There have been several dead heats in the history of F1, including a remarkable three-way battle between Ferrari’s Enzo Ferrari, Lotus founder Colin Chapman and Cooper founder John Cooper, culminating in Ferrari’s first world championship win in 1957. It has also seen some epic fights between Mercedes team mates, with Hamilton and Rosberg taking the title to the wire in 2014 and 2016. The current era of team tussles is arguably the most heated yet though, with McLaren’s Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel locked in an exhilarating battle for the world championship this season.

Gender equality has been a long-standing issue in the sports industry, affecting everyone from athletes to those working behind the scenes. But what is the solution?

Both Nathalie Boy de la Tour, former President of Ligue 1, and Adele Stern, a high-level modern pentathlete and member of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for Olympic and Paralympic Games share their views on how to achieve gender parity in sports.

From gender stereotypes to sexism, the obstacles that women face in sports are multiple. Women are often perceived as inferior to men in the same sport, despite their hard work and dedication. They are also under pressure to conform to societal expectations of what sports should be for women. This is due to the sexist perception that men are physically stronger, better at sports, and can handle physical hardship more easily, compared to female athletes.

In the United States, Title IX is a key factor that has opened doors for women in sports. Passed in 1972 as part of the Education Amendments, it prohibits discrimination based on sex in any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

Although women’s participation in sport has increased dramatically since Title IX was passed, there is still a lot of work to do. For example, women’s representation in the leadership of sports federations remains low. In addition, the lack of representation from women in media coverage is another issue. The lack of visibility for female athletes can cause them to doubt their abilities and lead to internal attributions, which can reduce motivation, performance, and future expectations.

The US Open begins on Aug. 26 and concludes on Sept. 8. The last Grand Slam of the season is always a busy one, with plenty of big matches and excitement at Flushing Meadows. This year’s tournament features a few changes, including a shift to Sunday play.

Tennis Insider Parsa Nemati reports that the USTA is set to change the men’s and women’s main draw schedule by pushing back the first week by two days. This means the tournament will begin on Friday of qualifying week, instead of Wednesday as it has since the start of the Open Era in 1968.

Fortunately for those who want to get the most out of their US Open experience, there are some tricks and tips that can help make your time there more enjoyable. Here are some of them:

1. Stream the US Open with ESPN+

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2. Check the Daily Schedule of Play
Every day, the US Open posts a detailed daily schedule of matches on up to 14 courts (see Tip #4 below). It’s a great tool for making a game plan, and you can download the official U.S. Open App (search on app stores for “2025 US Open”) to follow the action. You can also watch the US Open without cable with a subscription to ESPN+, which carries all of the daily matches.

The NFL draft isn’t over, but teams have a chance to reshape their rosters in Round 3 and beyond. With the first two rounds going by in a blur, the third round offers plenty of excitement.

The Patriots are looking for some juice up front, and Nolen fits the bill. He has explosiveness and length to be a versatile 3- and 5-technique in New England’s system, with a potential to develop into a starting defensive lineman.

Barrow’s quickness and motor are enough to earn a shot as a backup interior pass-rusher, but his physical limitations will cap his ceiling. He needs to play with better leverage and focus on developing his pass-rush moves if he wants to make a bigger impact.

Shedeur Sanders might not have the size to be a primary receiver in the NFL, but he can fill some roles with his speed and route running skills. He’ll excel in an offense that maximizes yards after the catch and has the ability to create mismatches in single coverage.

The Bengals traded their second-round pick in the prior draft to move up and grab Byron Murphy, but still have plenty of issues at corner. Johnson has the size, instincts and ball skills to be an effective starter in a zone-heavy defense. His short-area speed and willingness to tackle could also make him a good fit for the slot. The rangy Huzzie has plenty of potential as an edge player with his length and natural power, but he needs to improve his pass rush moves and finish.

Olympic ice hockey, a fast-paced game played on small rinks by seven skaters and a goalie, has a history of high drama. From 1920 to 1992, teams competed in a round-robin format and medal winners were determined by total points. In 1998, the Olympics introduced playoffs and NHL-caliber players, and the sport has been a mainstay since. The United States has won six gold medals and Canada five, and the 2018 event in PyeongChang featured a memorable finish when Canadians beat Sweden for gold and Teemu Selanne — at age 43 — became the oldest Olympic goal scorer and winner.

The International Ice Hockey Federation, founded in 1908, regulates the Olympic tournament and rules of play. The rules differ slightly from the NHL’s and, for instance, in Olympic ice hockey, only the attacking team may place its stick on the ice first for face-offs.

One of the most dramatic moments in Olympic ice hockey occurred in 1980 in Lake Placid. With the Soviet Union a serious medal threat and the U.S. trailing 2-1 in the opening period, it seemed the Americans would lose to the defending champions. But Buzz Schneider tied it up with a dagger of a slap shot, and, with less than a minute left in the first period, Dave Christian ripped a long slap shot at Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak.

He hit the puck right on target, and, according to IIHF rules, it must cross the goal line for a goal to count. Then the shootout began, and the U.S.’s Eric Lindros and Germany’s Peter Draisaitl both missed. And that’s how the Miracle on Ice happened, a moment that Sports Illustrated named the top sports event of the 20th century and ESPN viewers voted the greatest highlight of all time.

Last weekend, thousands of Manchester United fans marched in protest at their club’s ownership. A week earlier, there was a similar march at Chelsea, and there are rumblings of discontent at Tottenham and Fulham too. In other words, it seems there are problems to be solved at roughly three-quarters of Premier League clubs.

The fact that fans are stepping up their protests shows that fandom is not just a form of entertainment or a sign of a fanatic attachment to a team. It can also be a powerful tool for social change. During the Civil Rights Movement, Black people turned their fandom of football into a nonviolent weapon of resistance against segregated seating and discrimination at their local stadiums. They marched, boycotted games, plastered their communities with banners, and demanded equality from their teams and the sportswriters who covered them.

This article examines the role that journalists play in humanizing and legitimizing the protesters they cover, especially when those protesters come from underrepresented groups. It looks at how telling a story about a protest in either a humanizing or delegitimizing way can affect how people perceive the teenager whose death spurred the protest, as well as their attitudes toward the protest itself and its participants.

Newsrooms can help to improve how they report protest stories by humanizing the person whose death prompted the protest and by using language that legitimizes, rather than delegitimizes, the protesters. This can increase the likelihood that people will support the protesters and their cause and believe that the news story is credible.

The Asian Games, first held in 1951, are the biggest sports event in Asia. They are held every four years, in the even-numbered years between the Olympic Games. The Asian Games are a big event that fosters bonds between nations through sports and contributes to world peace by recognizing the value of diversity.

The 2026 Asian Games will take place in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City from 19 September to 4 October 2026. Cricket and Mixed Martial Arts were formally approved as part of the program at the 41st meeting of the AINAGOC Board of Directors on Monday (April 28).

With dozens of events, Asian Games 2026 will bring nail-biting finishes for fans around the world. From the muay thai athletes displaying their local skills to the swimmers aiming for breakout performances, all competitions will pulse with rivalry and the promise that years of hard work are about to pay off.

Esports at Asian Games 2026

The selection of titles for the esports portion of the Asian Games was made by a task force composed of experts tasked with selecting games that appeal to players from all over the region and meet the stringent broadcasting standards of high-stakes international sporting events. This strategic choice reflects broader trends in the esports landscape and offers insight into how GL events will balance the interests of competitors, sponsors, and viewers alike.

With the opening and closing ceremonies, daily movement to competition venues, and shuttle buses all expected to draw large crowds, the Organizing Committee is making full preparations for the smooth operation of the Games. By leveraging existing transport infrastructure and using advanced transportation technology, the Organizing Committee aims to deliver comfortable and safe transport services during the Asian Games.

From athlete performance to fan experience, sports technology trends are reshaping the industry. With innovative technologies, sporting events are becoming more interesting, inclusive, and accessible to people around the world. These trends promise to transform the future of sports and revolutionize the industry by bringing in new revenue streams for teams and organizations.

Smart stadiums are transforming the in-venue experience, offering personalized fan services like seat upgrades and in-seat ordering. Moreover, the integration of IoT technology in stadiums maximizes operations through automated security systems and predictive maintenance programs. This boosts fan engagement and enhances the overall stadium experience, resulting in increased ticket sales and revenue for teams and venues.

Enhanced sports streaming apps offer better viewing quality and multiple camera angles, increasing the viewership. Moreover, augmented reality and virtual reality are enhancing the fan experience by allowing them to interact with players or the game in a realistic setting.

Sports fans can also use mobile apps to stream their favorite games from anywhere, even when they are not in the stadium. With these apps, they can enjoy watching a live match without compromising on their comfort and even get the opportunity to join the team’s warm-up sessions.

Wearable technology is enabling athletes to perform at peak levels and prevent injuries by tracking their physical condition. For instance, biometric sensors woven into the sportswear can monitor an athlete’s heart rate and cellular data, and pressure sensors can measure the force of impact in a specific area of the body.

For many athletes, going for Olympic gold means shelling out thousands of dollars for elite coaching and equipment while forgoing employment to train around the clock. And for some, those expenses can be too much. Athletes have reported relying on food stamps, running up credit card debt and even crowdfunding to make it to the Games.

As an athlete, you work hard to perfect your craft. But you can’t always anticipate how your career will end — whether it’s your choice or not. That’s why it’s important to be prepared when your time as a competitive athlete comes to an end.

Here are four athletes who thought they were ready to throw in the towel but ended up “unretiring” and coming back better than ever.

Athletes are often highly paid and successful at their sport, so they’re not used to adjusting to new roles like a vocation or family responsibilities. And they may also have to learn how to deal with weight gain or develop a fitness routine outside of the competitive context of their sport.

University of Queensland researchers have developed a digital intervention program called More Than Sport to help athletes navigate these challenges. The researchers will evaluate the effectiveness of this program with an eye towards expanding it to other sports and countries. Athletes who wish to participate in this program can contact their National Governing Body or International Federation to apply. The application period is open until June 30.